These MBA programs blend real-world small-business know-how with top academics.

Why we chose it: Like Stanford, McCombs benefits from its location in a high-tech zone. "McCombs sits in a high-tech corridor," says Rensselaer Professor Phillip Phan. "Austin has a history of entrepreneurship activity and investment resources." Indeed, the school attracts considerable attention from local VCs. With its $100,000 top prize, UT Austin's global Moot Corp business plan contest is among the most respected B-school competitions. 2007's competition brought in teams from Australia, China, Colombia and Norway, but the champions were from San Diego State University. For grad students who would rather buy a business than start one, the student-run MBA Investment Fund, a private investment company, completes the necessary due diligence, under the eye of finance lecturer Sanford Leeds.